Concrete block lifter



April 25, 1944 E. F. ZUBER 2,347,310

CONCRETE BLOCK LIFTER Filed Dec. 14, 1943 IHVEPITOR. Emf/ F.' Zuber;

BJMQW Patented pr. 25, 1944 than CONCRETE BLOCK LIFTER Emil F. Zuber, Peoria, Ill., assignor to The Michigan Silo Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a cor poration of Michigan Application December 14, 1943, Serial No. 514,250

5 Claims.

This invention relates to means for lifting and carrying concrete building blocks and has for a primary object the formation of a structure which may be exceedingly simple in form and yet quite effective for the purpose desired in that by use of the lifter, it may be simply dropped into one of the core holes to have a handle portion to extend along over and in spaced relation from the top side of the block so that, through leverage action utilizing the weight of the block, the lifter may frictionally engage with the block without danger of being released therefrom as long as a lifting action is applied to the lifter.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of a structure whereby the lifterlis not only adapted to lift a single standard sizev block but also may be employed to lift two narrow blocks simultaneously.

By use of the lifter, the workman may pick up the block directly from a :dat surface without 'd having to stoop and get his fingers under it and he may also carry two blocks at once. Furthermore the lifter saves wear on gloves as well as helping to prevent breakage of corners from the blocks when they are being piled. Also the mason, in laying the blocks in a wall, can pick up the block with the lifter and put it in position quite easily without damage to -his fingers or gloves.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art from the following description of one particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a structure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2, a view in end elevation;

Fig. 3, a view in central, vertical section through a concrete block with the lifter` applied thereto; and

Fig. 4, a View in perspective on a reduced scale showing the lifter in position for lifting two four inch blocks.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout-l the several views in the drawing.

A handle I0 is provided to be preferably round and of that diameter which may be readily gripped by a workmans hand. In the form herein shown, this handle consists of a short length of metal tubing. Along each side of the handle I0 adjacent one end thereof is secured legs II and I2 respectively, the legs being identical in size and shape.

Where the handle I0 is made out of metal tubing, the upper ends of the legs II and I2 may be welded directly thereto. Each leg is welded to extend outwardly and downwardly by a sloped portion from which it extends vertically downwardly. From the bend between the sloping and vertical portions of the leg, the Verticalportion is cut away to leave a shoulder I3 o n the inner side edge. The legs II and I2 in each instance are provided with a heel I4 preferably rounded and located at or, slightly below thev bend between thenupper and lower portions. From this'heel I4, the leg slopes inwardly and downwardly toward the inner vertical edge. v

The lateral dimension across the bend from the point A to the heel I4 is made to be slightly less thanthe longitudinal dimension across the core opening of a concerte block I5. In using the liftenthehandle I0 is always positionedfasindicated in FigS, to'eiii'ien'd"overtlieV blockylhe legs II and I2 are inserted from the top opening of an end core hole to have the shoulder I3 strike the top face of the block as a limiting stop. 'Ihen the handle I0 is gripped to pull upwardly thereon, whereupon the legs will rock to the position indicated in Fig. 3 to have the heel I4 abut the vertical inner wall of the `core hole near the upper end thereof and to have the lower ends of the inner vertical edges of the legs strike the opposite wall of the core hole. By lifting straight up on the handle I0, the weight of the block I5 will be sucient to produce the required frictional engagement at those points of the legs so that the block may be carried around without danger of slipping from the lifter. As a matter of fact, the lifter will be inoperative if the handle Ill is turned in the opposite direction from that as shown in Fig. 3 to extend outwardly from the block.

As indicated in Fig. 4, two of the narrow blocks I6 may be picked up simultaneously since the standard spacing of the legs II and I2, one from the other, is sufficient to permit one to engage in a core hole of one block and the other to engage in a corresponding core hole of the other block. It is to be noted that in handling the two blocks, the handle I0 still must be directed over the blocks and not outwardly therefrom. The use of two legs is preferred even in handling the one block I5 to prevent any accidental side rocking of the lifter relative to the block. Since the handle III must always be over the block I5, the block may be set in position in stacking or in a wall being constructed, all without interference of any handle overhanging beyond the vertical faces of the block.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural variations may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A block lifter for engagement against vertical core hole walls of a block, comprising a handle and a pair of spaced apart legs extending downwardly therefrom, each of said legs having a block core wall contacting heel on its outer edge, and a shoulder spaced below said handle on its inner edge limiting insertion into the block core.

2. A block lifter for engagement against vertical core hole walls of a block, comprising a handle and a pair of spaced apart legs extending downwardly therefrom, each of said leg's'having a'block core wall contacting heel on its outer edge, and a shoulder spacedbelow said handle on its inner edge limiting insertion into the block core; and each of said legs further extending downwardly and outwardly in respect to each other fromsa'id handle by inclined portions -and thence 'downwardly by `vertically disposed lengths, said heel and shoulder both beingsubstantially at the junctures of the yinclined land've'rtical leg portions,

3. A block lifter for engagement against vertical core hole -walls of a block, comprising a handle and a pair of spaced apar-t legs extending downedge limiting insertion into the block core; and

each of said legs further extending downwardly and outwardly in lrespect to each other from said `handle by inclined portions and thence downwardly by vertically disposed lengths, said heel 'and 'shoulder both-being substantially at the juncturesof the inclined and vertical leg portions; the horizontal distance between said heel and the inner Vedge of each leg being less than the horizontal length of the block-core hole to permit rocking of the legs within the core hole.

5. A blockli-fter for engagement' against vertical core hole walls of a block, comprising a handle and a pair of spaced apart legs extending downwardly therefrom, each of'said legs having ablock core wall contacting heel on its outer edge, and a shoulder spaced below said handle on its inner edge limiting insertion into the blocklcore; each of said legs having'a lower end forward core wall abutment vertically disposed below =said shoulder.

EMIL `1i'. ZUBER. 

